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Malaysia’s Fatwa Committe In The National Council For Islamic Affairs Declared Ideology Preached By IS Contradicts Islam

PETALING JAYA: The Fatwa Committee of the National Council for Islamic Affairs has declared the ideology being preached by the Islamic State (IS) as contradicting Islam, saying that those who join the terrorist organisation are “fighting in vain”.

The council said that the tendency of some Muslims to fight for IS in Syria stemmed from confusion and a lack of understanding on the concept of jihad and martyrdom.

“The call of jihad held by IS contradicts Islam and can lead to kufr (disbelief) because they permit the killing of fellow Muslims.

“Therefore, the council stresses that the actions of Muslims in Malaysia who have or wish to join IS in the name of jihad are fighting in vain as their struggle is not classified as jihad nor are their deaths categorised as martyrdom under Islamic law,” the committee said in a statement on the e-Fatwa portal on Sunday.

It advise Malaysians to seek awareness and not be easily influenced by the IS propaganda.

“Most Sunni scholars worldwide have reminded Muslims not to be influenced by IS due to their violent tendencies and their practice of apostatising those who do not share their beliefs, as well as permitting the shedding of their blood.

“They kill innocent people and drove the Christians and Yazidis from their land with so much brutality,” it added.

The committee made the ruling after convening for its 106th conference in October, where it discussed the issue of Malaysian Muslims fighting for IS in the Middle East.

Source: www.thestar.com.my

February 10, 2015
In Solidarity With Singaporean Indians – Make Thaipusam A Public Holiday!

There has been a lot of talk recently about making Thaipusam – an annual Hindu festival event celebrated by the Tamil community here – a public holiday.

We have four races here and though Deepavali is celebrated as a public holiday, Thaipusam which is an important Hindu day in the Tamil community calender is not officially gazetted as a public holiday yet.

In Singapore, every major race is given two days of religious or cultural holiday. The Chinese have Chinese New Year (CNY), which lasts for two days. Malays, who are predominantly Muslim, are given holidays for Hari Raya Haji and Hari Raya Puasa. Indians are given Deepavali and Vesak Day. Hence, Thaipusam could not be made a holiday for Indian Hindu.

Vesak Day which is a Buddhist religion is strangely been gazetted as a Indian holiday though very few Indians celebrate.

17,000 signatures were collected to date to petition online for Thaipusam to be made a public holiday here:-

https://www.change.org/p/mdm-halimah-yacob-make-thaipusam-a-religious-holiday-in-singapore

There is also this recent controversy whereby three Indians were arrested for disorderly behaviour during the recent Thaipusam when the police was called upon to enforce a ancient 1973 law which disallows the use of musical instruments for kavadi carriers.

In response to the arrest, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Law K Shanmugam made an effort to explain why musical instruments were disallowed during the Thaipusam’s foot procession, citing the 1964 riots as the main reason for imposing such an ancient law.

We hope that with the recent arrest, the government will look closely into allowing musical instruments to be played during Thaipusam foot procession under limited conditions.

This event hopes to unite all Singaporeans to support our smallest minority race to petition for Thaipusam to be made a public holiday – as only 9% of the population is make up of Indians.

We agree with the online petition statement that –

Thaipusam should be made a holiday in Singapore from 2016 in the interest of fairness to all races in Singapore.

Let us come together and speak with one voice – though we have 4 races but we are first Singaporeans!

Singaporeans supporting Singaporeans.

Gilbert Goh
Event Organiser

Editor’s note: We will co-operate with NParks and the police to ensure that the event will be carried out smoothly.

Source: Gilbert Goh

February 10, 2015
Qian Hu Corporation Executive Charged In Australia For Attempting To Smuggle Endangered Fishes Into The Country

An executive from ornamental fish service provider Qian Hu Corporation was on Monday (Feb 9) charged in Australia for attempting to smuggle A$300,000 (S$315,000) worth of endangered fish into the country on Feb 2.

According to The Australian, Singaporean Alex Chang Kuok Weai appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday, via video link, and was charged with one count of importing in breach of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Court documents stated that Australian Customs and Border Protection Services officers found 20 plastic bags concealed in Chang’s luggage after a flight from Singapore. A number of endangered fish — some alive, some dead — were found inside those bags, and the total value of the fish was almost A$300,000, it added.

When contacted by Channel NewsAsia, a Qian Hu spokesperson said: “Alex was on annual leave when he visited Australia in his personal capacity. We are not in a position to comment as this case is in the hands of the Australian authorities.” The spokesperson confirmed Chang is the company’s Head of Group Integrated R&D Department.

CURRENT CHARGE MAY NOT BE FINAL

The Australian also reported that Chang’s arrest had triggered further investigations, and prosecutor Elim Chan asked for a “longer-than-usual adjournment so these could continue”.

“There are international investigations underway, and the current charges may well not be the final ones,” Ms Chan said in the article. She said 26 of the fish seized were believed to be from the species listed under CITES, but officers were verifying the exact number.

Chang’s lawyer, Jessica Kurtzer, said her client intended to apply for bail but “his proposed guarantor was no longer able to assist”.

“I’m currently speaking with his employers in Singapore, who are assisting him. They are endeavouring to find a suitable address for him,” Ms Kurtzer said.

Chang was remanded in custody until next month, The Australian reported.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

February 9, 2015
Singaporean Crowdfunds Donation For 70 Year Old Uncle Cheated Of Life Savings

Update Feb. 9, 2014, 12.00am: Crowdfunding donation target smashed in 7 hours: More than S$11,700 raised for elderly man conned of life savings

The New Paper on Feb. 8, 2015, broke a story of mind-numbingly wicked proportions about how a 70-year-old man was cheated out of everything and into handing over his $2,000 monthly pay check from working two jobs to two con women in the last 15 years.

The ruse? The two women told him he had owed the government money and he had to repay it.

This resulted in the elderly man, Tan Soy Klang, having to borrow money from his neighbours and 73-year-old sister to feed himself, despite working non-stop.

The cheating was only uncovered in 2013, when his 39-year-old niece returned from Australia and found out what was going on.

She then went to the police.

A 65-year-old woman has been arrested for cheating, while the other 69-year-old woman is assisting the police with investigations.

Singaporeans are quick to act

The story has struck a raw nerve, as within a few hours of the news breaking, one Singaporean, Dan Chen has turned to crowdfunding site Indiegogo to raise money for Mr Tan.

If there is one thing Singaporeans can do well, it is being moved to give money when they sense injustice has occurred.

Previously, a crowdfunding campaign to raise S$1,250 to buy an iPhone 6 for a Vietnamese tourist who was scammed at Sim Lim Square and seen begging on his knees for his money back, raised some S$15,542 (US$12,431) in total.

The funding target was, in fact, breached in 54 minutes, when S$1,600 was raised within an hour’s time.

Source: http://mothership.sg

February 9, 2015
Woman Lodges Police Report Against Three Police Officers For Pushing Her To The Ground During Thaipusam Fracas

A woman in Singapore has reportedly lodged a police report alleging three police officers of pushing her onto the ground during a scuffle that led to three men, including her husband, arrested for rowdy behaviour.

The men were arrested during the annual Hindu Thaipusam procession last Tuesday, and charged with disorderly behaviour.

The incident, where the woman was at as well, allegedly occurred at the junction of Serangoon Road and Desker Road, when three men were arrested for allegedly disrupting, in a rowdy manner, police efforts to stop a group from playing music to accompany kavadi carriers in the area.

A video clip of the incident, uploaded by sociopolitical site The Online Citizen, showed a woman falling to the ground at one point.

Responding to media queries about the report filed, police reportedly said in a statement that a 30-year-old Indian female had lodged it on Wednesday.

“(She) alleged that three officers had hit or pushed her on 3 February 2015 at Desker Road, during the Thaipusam procession,” the statement said while confirming that she is the wife of one of the three accused of disorderly behaviour at the scene, as quoted by Channel NewsAsia.

“Police take a serious view of any allegation against its officers and will investigate each case thoroughly,” the police continued. “However, if the allegations are found to be false, appropriate action, in accordance with our laws, will be taken against any persons found to have furnished false information to the Police.”

Read more about the scuffle that took place at the Thaipusam festival procession here.

Source: https://sg.news.yahoo.com

February 9, 2015